News & Happenings

As fall arrives and we start to think about sweaters again, there are so many choices. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. Thinking about shopping for sweaters, this is going to be an over generalization, first you have to like the sweater. Something about it has to catch your attention maybe it is the details, textures, or color. Perhaps it fits a need you are going on a ski trip, needing a new sweater for work, or just in the mood for something new. The reasons you purchase it may be because It fit you perfectly, it is comfortable and the color matched your complexion.

But what comes after that? Are we considering the quality or sustainability of the material. What about the the environmental or social impact related to it's production.

This can be a bit overwhelming but to keep it simple let’s compare two luxurious fibers -Cashmere and Alpaca.

This is not a recommendation on what type of sweater or fiber to choose, but the recommendation is to choose well. Think about the cost and why the product is inexpensive. Will it fall apart after one month or will it last years. We are seeing so much go into landfills. We can choose our best to care for the environment. Your dollars count!

Featured In British Vogue July Issue's summer look book.

"Callina's 2016 Collection embraces a casual luxury spirt, offering sustainably designed pieces you will reach for time and again. Callina is rooted in modern luxury design and their pieces are crafted from exquisite, sustainable fibers."

Spring fashion with lightweight knits. A great way you can be playful and experiment with color, textures and forms!

I asked my dear friend, Karen, to join me on a California coast tour. Wanting to create a story about the intimacy of friendship with inspiration of a journey. We decided not to make any plans…just see where the road would take us.

It was a dream come true~ to be on Hwy 1 exploring, laughing, while coming across amazing beaches, biking along the coast, farmers markets, wine tasting and hidden treasures in speciality boutiques.

Building a community around social impact and sustainable fashion in the heart of Manhattan.

To kick things off, Article 22 and Callina will be presenting their collections for a special evening of shopping, stories and drinks. Come meet the founders and learn how Article 22 makes their jewelry from unexploded bombs dropped in Laos while discovering the incredible beauty of hand knitting alpaca wool into Callina sweaters.

There are a lot of days that just stand out and being with Andrea from Ecologique fashion was one of them. She had just returned from helping at the Fibershed fashion Gala (essentially farm-to-fashion), was heading off to NYC to work with Ecohabitude (socially conscious e-commerce platform), all while maintaining her ethical fashion blog.

Andrea is amazing on many levels but her kindness and generosity showed through as we talked and walked around San Francisco's Embarcadero doing our photo shoot.

Packing can be a challenge this time of year. Whether you’re traveling thanks to a hiatus from work or school, you need to stay warm (without wearing the same outfit every day), and you have to fit all your heavy winter clothes into a small suitcase. To help you out, we’ve compiled tried-and-true tips to ensure that your winter packing will be a breeze from here on out.

1. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes on the plane.

The Mia cape: is like wearing your favorite blanket. It is comfortable and will keep you warm and looking chic. Wear with leggings for easy movement.

2. Pack versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched and you can build the wardrobe around that. Avoid packing items that crease easily.

The Nadia pullover: Can go from day to evening very easily. Wear with jeans during the day and a knife pleated skirt in the evening.

3. Two words: Hat and scarf

The nadia hat: Is a neutral color that can be worn a lot of different pieces.

The nadia scarf: Cut the chill and stay warm. It can be mixed and matched with multiple outfits.

4. Finally, try to pack no more than three or four pairs of shoes. It might seem impossible, but a pair of boots, heels, sneakers, and flats will easily see you through a couple weeks. (boots are bulky wear those on the plane)

Without getting too scientific, Alpacas may just be the cutest of all the Camelidae family. Related to the Llamas, Guanacos and Vicuñas, Alpaca have been valued for its fiber since pre-Incan times due to the properties and luxury quality of its hair.

Beyond how amazingly cute they are, these creatures have some of the silkiest, most versatile fibers. Their luxurious fiber has been described as "stronger than mohair, finer than cashmere, smoother than silk, softer than cotton and better-breathing than thermal knits."

A lot of people ask, "Is baby alpaca from a baby animal?" The answer is NO. It refers to the fiber density or diameter of the yarn. Just like cashmere, the finer the diameter and longer the fiber (staple) the softer, silkier and less pilling of the yarn.

Alpaca fiber has around 15 natural shades and once the alpaca are shorn, which happens once a year, the fibers are hand sorted. The women or men have these skills passed down from generations to be able to separate these fibers by hand based on their diameter.

You have to feel these sweaters to truly understand how soft and comfortable they are.